Trial For Alleged Aniak Shooter, Joseph Yaska, Tentatively Set For February 2018

Aniak resident Joseph Yaska appeared in court Thursday during a crowded omnibus hearing in Bethel.

The 29-year-old is accused of killing one person and wounding several others in a shooting spree in Aniak last August. He is charged with three counts of murder in the first degree and seven different counts of assault, among other charges.

Defense Attorney Terrence Haas and Assistant District Attorney Dara Gibson discussed scheduling and tentatively set the trial for February 2018. Yaska’s next hearing is scheduled for December 19.

Last August, Aniak resident Joseph Yaska allegedly armed himself with an AK-47 and started to shoot at his neighbors. They ran for cover or hid in their homes. The shooting spree wounded several residents and killed Bruce “Gotor” Morgan II, age 24.

Today, Aniak is still struggling to make sense of what happened. Last Thursday, the village celebrated the life of "Gotor" Morgan with a crowded Forty Day Feast, a traditional memorial service that’s common in both Russian Orthodox and some Catholic communities.

In the aftermath of a harrowing fatal shooting incident in Aniak, Joseph Yaska told State Troopers that “he was just so angry and he didn’t know why.” That’s according to a recent affidavit - one of several court documents that reveal further details about what happened early Sunday morning.